When was the last time you did something for someone else? Seriously when was the last time you placed someone else's need before your own? The last time you bought someone lunch who needed it? Or maybe volunteered at a soup kitchen? Or simply listened to someone who really needed to talk? These are questions that have been heavy on my mind for the past several weeks. As I have been seeking God in prayer and journaling. I realized how self-absorbed I was. I always thought of myself first: my dreams, my desires, and my needs. Always wondering how God was going to fulfill them.

God speaks against self-centeredness. Philippians 2:3-4 reads, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others". Our lives are so much more than ourselves. Our lives are so much more than the next cute outfit or our education and even our finances. Now in theory, I do believe that these things are important and that God wants us to live fulfilled lives, but they become a problem when we are so consumed by these things that we ignore the needs of others.  We should reevaluate how much of an effect and impact we are making on those around us. There are so many people who are hurting and in need. We as Christian women should be meeting those needs and doing all we can to lessen the pain that others are feeling. Before I noticed how self-centered I was, I often did not notice how much my family and friends needed my attention and time. Some of them only needed a listening ear from me for a couple of minutes or needed help paying for a lunch or dinner. 

There are so many simple ways that we can help others and reach them for Christ. When Jesus started his ministry on earth he met the needs of others first and built a rapport with them and then let them know how much he could change their lives. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and gave his time to people who were ignored in society.

Colossians 2:16 reads, " Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things". I challenge you to take your eyes off of yourselves and open your eyes to the needs of others. We are to be the fragrance of Jesus and an example of his love and that starts with helping with the needs of others. That could be giving a friend a ride who needs it; or maybe helping that person who needs help paying for their groceries in front of you at the store; or simply calling a family member and letting them know you love them and care. The needs are endless. Rely on the Holy Spirit to show you needs that you can help with. You never know what a simple gesture can lead to.

A few months ago, I heard a radio interview with Jocelyn from the popular reality show Love and Hip Hop. I've never watched the show since I am not a fan of women being portrayed in such a negative light, but I have heard plenty of discussions about her from other people and social media. As she bragged about her recent fame, history of stripping and bartering herself for money, my heart ached for her. She is admired by so many women, but under the surface, it was obvious that she was still battling some of her own personal demons. She confirmed my thoughts when she made statements that have stuck with me to this day. Jocelyn admitted that she does regret some of the decisions she made as a young woman, like stripping and relying on men to fund her lavish lifestyle. She also mentioned that if she had someone to mentor her or show her that her body didn't have to be her meal ticket, her life would have been different. As the interview was wrapping up, Jocelyn made a heart felt plea for older women to start looking out for the younger generation.

Women, if we are honest with ourselves, we can admit that we have not done a very good job of looking out for the younger generation.

The bible is filled with some amazing stories of women who are still an influence in the lives of woman today. As they have encounters with Christ, women are shaking off the remnants of a life that sometimes mirrors that of the Proverbs 7 woman in attempts to live up to the expectations of the Proverbs 31 woman. So many have repented of their sins, accepted Jesus as their Savior, embraced a new spirit filled life, married the amazing man of God and had children that will be raised up as the next generation of Jesus lovers. For many, that's the extent of their Christian experience. They do a great job of keeping Christians saved, but often times neglect the very broken women they have been called to minister to.

As much love and praise as the Proverbs 31 woman receives, there is a woman of the Bible that does not receive nearly enough recognition though her instructions are in such a high demand in these modern days. She is the Titus 2 woman.

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.” Titus 2:4-6.

As busy as our lives are, it is so easy to forget that there was a time when we were new believers trying to figure out what it meant and looked like to be godly woman. There was a time when we still struggled with certain sins, still felt the sting of shame and guilt because of past mistakes and didn't always know how to receive God's love. We are all new creations in Christ but we should not forget that there are women in the world that are in the very places we once were. There are still plenty of Jocelyn’s, Real Housewives of Atlanta, strippers, and promiscuous women that need to be shown that there is a better life for them. There seems to be no shortage of Proverb 31 women, yet not enough Titus 2 woman who are willing to putting in the time and energy to mentor and train up other women to be godly wives and mothers.

I looked at various websites and books on what it means to be a Titus 2 woman. Often times, I was left with images of stay at home mothers who make their own clothes, grow their own food, and home school their children. There is nothing wrong with this type of lifestyle, but that's not a lifestyle that is appealing to the masses. The same principles outlined in the scriptures are still applicable to the many different lifestyles that woman live today.

• There are single mothers who need support in raising their children as well as encouragement to pursue purity until marriage.
  
  
• There are women in the sex industry who need someone to remind them that they are beautiful, worthy and that God still loves them even in the midst of their sin.
  
  
• There are middle, high school, and college age girls who need the wisdom and example of godly wives to understand that there is a blessing in waiting on God for a husband and waiting on marriage for sex.
  
  
• There are engaged and newly wed wives who need the support and example of older wives when it comes to maintaining a home and honoring her husband.
  
  
• There are young believers who need the support and example of mature believers when it comes to serving and doing good for others. 

Let us not get to busy or too saved that we forget that we were pulled out of our own destruction by the love and blood of Jesus Christ. Take the time to pour into young girls or even peers who may not be as mature in the faith as you are. At some point, a woman with the principles of Titus 2 sealed in her heart prayed for and encouraged us to continue down the path that lead to Christ. Pay it forward and be the same for another woman.  

The importance of having an accountability partner is often overlooked since to most people, the concept of an accountability partner is foreign. The truth is that a lot of you already have accountability partners but it is a relationship you sort of fell into and so it has no formal definition. Yet, the role an accountability partner plays in our life is often a sensitive one that requires trust and should be a relationship that is entered into intentionally. Having an accountability partner means that you are surrounded by a person (or people) you can trust to be real with you.

What is an Accountability Partner? 
First of all, it is important to know for sure what an accountability partner is. In a nutshell, an accountability partner is that person that helps you to keep on track. You share your struggles, victories, dreams, and goals with that person and as you go through life, he/she helps you stay true to yourself and can draw your attention when your focus is shifting from the goals you have set. This person also offers prayer, encouragement and is there to cheer you on when you achieve your milestones. Ideally, this should be reciprocal.

What to Consider when Choosing an Accountability Partner 
An accountability partner is someone you choose; you get more meaning out of the relationship that way. So before you go choosing one, here are some things to consider.

• Trust: Is this someone you can trust? If you do not already trust the person, can you grow to trust her? This is really important because you are going to be sharing some of your struggles and victories with this person; you need to make sure that you are on the same page. Also, do you trust this person to lovingly tell you the truth? What’s the point in having an accountability partner if you are not sure that you will get the truth from this person?
• Core Values: It is not really possible to have as an accountability partner, someone who shares all your values; and if you do, you are a very lucky person. Still, you need to make sure that you both share the same core values or it is going to be a splendid waste of time.
• Attitude: Is the person’s attitude positive and encouraging? This is someone you will be entrusting your dreams to for safe-keeping; you definitely do not want a fire extinguisher keeping guard over your dreams. In the same way, you also need to have a positive and encouraging attitude if you want to attract that kind of person to you.
• Compatibility: Although it might work, pairing up with a 9-5 mom might not be very productive for you. This is because there are unique situations you would be facing, let's say as a work-at-home-mom that a working mom might not understand. You need to find someone who can appreciate where you are coming from and where you are going to. Choose someone who understands your situation.
• Location: It is possible to have an accountability partner who is thousands of miles away. Thanks to email and Skype, you can still have as much contact as if you were next door neighbors  However, if you are the sort of person that needs a regular hug and the occasional lunch out, you might want to consider someone who lives close by.

Learning how to choose an accountability partner is an important step in growing as a woman of God. It is something you need to prayerfully consider; don’t rush into the relationship. You could decide to have one accountability partner or a group of accountability partners. Just make sure that you are all on the same page.

There are 27 million people in the world today are physically enslaved to other people, forced and coerced into bonded labor slavery, about --- of women and young girls are manipulated and threatened into sex slavery. Most people have heard about trafficking but always think about it as some foreign country problem and while a lot of the trafficking does take place in Europe, about 100,000 people are trafficked into America every year with 27,000 American children at risk of being trafficked.

27 million sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, parents, friends, beloved children of God, do not physically have the freedom that you and i do. The reality of this truth is what pushes me to be a law student, to be an advocate for freedom.

Knowing that 27 million people need to be brought to freedom can be a little bit overwhelming but everyone can play a role in fighting modern day slavery. Here are some practical ways you can do something now:

1. Be aware of the trafficking hotline number in case of any suspicious activity (18883737888). Save it on your phone.
   
   
2. Research about human trafficking, read books to be better informed, attend training events.
   
   
3. Pray for slavery to end.
   
   
4. Get creative with your talents and social media to tell others about the evils of human trafficking
   
   
5. Write encouraging letters to women just rescued from slavery with the A21 campaign.
   
   
6. Buy fair trade products that are made slave-free
   
   
7. Visit some anti-trafficking websites and partner with them. Some of the big ones are (1) a21campaign.org (2) Ijm.org (3)freetheslaves.net (4) slaveryfootprints.com (5)enditmovement.com
   
   
8. Support the ladies just rescued from slavery by purchasing their jewelry at nightLight international.
   
   

Don't let the desire to fight slavery be a burst of passion in you, but let God use your talents and gifts everyday to bring freedom to His children. We are all imperfect vessels that can be conduits of His perfect Grace to the 27 million enslaved today. We all can dry the tears of these 27 million, one people at a time, one day at a time.  Lets end slavery in our generation!

A little prayer goes a long way. Pray over yourself and every person associated with your company, including staff, customers, and vendors. Pray asking God to give you wisdom, patience, and grace to effectively communicate with each person you are in contact with. Ask for strength and ability to work through any problem that may arise. He may not choose to change the other person or situation, so you must be willing to accept that you may have to change your attitude instead. Prayer has the power to change any situation and personality. 

Personality conflicts are usually the hardest hurdles to overcome in the workplace. Supervisors, customers, and co-workers have quirks that will push each and every button you have. However, your personality must not mirror theirs. Your personality should represent God’s goodness in your life. Consider speaking to them about your differences and come up with a solution that will best represent the company. Refrain from negative comments, gossip, and any other less appropriate conversation that would allow issues to persist. Speak to other party regarding your concerns to express your thoughts as well as receive feedback; sometimes you may realize there was a complete misunderstanding. Regardless of the outcome, remain professional at all times and never allow your personal differences to affect your production.

You must continue to produce! Although you want to quit and your focus is slightly off, you have to remember you are in a professional environment. You must continue to come to work on time, complete all assigned tasks, attend training courses, and every other duty assigned to your position. Don’t allow negative situations to hinder possible promotions. Someone in the position to elevate you may be watching and inquiring of your work.

If you are still considering leaving your job, you must have a plan. Pray asking God for the direction before making any moves. If he gives you the okay, then proceed to the planning phase. Planning will give you time to seriously consider your reason for leaving. You will have time to revise your resume and save, just in case of a delay prior to starting your new job. You will also have time to scout jobs that are more fitting to your personality. Even though you are planning for new employment, continue to honor your current position.

You honor God by submitting to your natural supervisor. It shows God that you can be trusted with the position he has given you. No person has authority or power to change your status. Regardless of threats from supervisors, customers, or co-workers, if God says you will keep your job, you will. If He says that you need to move to another position, he will do that as well. In past, I’ve erased the idea of having a natural supervisor and replaced it with the thought that I solely work for God. It helped me perform at my best while others tried to discourage me. It was evident whom I worked for when it was time for promotion.

How have you been honoring God at work?


Godly Reminders:

Ephesians 6: 5-8, “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”


Reference
Adams, S. (May 18, 2012). New Survey: Majority of Employees Dissatisfied. Forbes.com. Retrieved 1/4/12 http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/05/18/new-survey-majority-of-employees-dissatisfied/

Last year I read the book Radical (David Platt) and it absolutely shook up my little comfortable world. I’ve never felt called to ministry or missions, and was previously fairly comfortable in the little Christian box I had myself tucked away in. Intentionally I had tried to shelter myself from the realities of poverty, sex trafficking, and other statistical tragedies that happen around the world. Somehow distancing myself from the facts allowed me to sleep with a freely and undisturbed conscience. Though I have known there are thousands of people groups who have never heard the gospel, not knowing their geographical locations always made the reality seem less real.

My husband traveled to Nicaragua on a missions trip last fall to an unreached people group. I was so proud of the work their team accomplished there, the willingness of their hearts to go (they traveled for 54 hours o get to the village!) and also excited to hear how God was working among the natives. Since Curtis got back from his trip I have been praying that God would break my heart for what breaks His and literally “call me to go.”

During a morning devotional this past week I read about the call of Isaiah. I’m familiar with the story, but reading an excerpt by Oswald Chambers had me wanting to study it further. I am convinced it’s vital when we are seeking God’s direction (call) for our life and where He “wants us to be”  to understand what happened here.

In the beginning of chapter 6 Isaiah is having this incredible vision from God and actually seeing Him seated gloriously on His throne. Can you even imagine that?  He’s hearing the seraphim (similar to angels) cry out “Holy Holy Holy” and immediately realizes how sinful He is by comparison! In response Isaiah quickly cries out and confesses His unclean lips and the sinfulness of his people. The seraphim touches his lips to coal and declares his sins have been atoned for. (chapters 6:1-7)

Have you ever read a story in the bible and thought, I know what happens next? Then you re-read it and you realize it didn’t go down exactly as you thought it had. I always thought essentially God told Isaiah directly to go and of course obediantly he responded with the famous phrase, “Here am I! Send me!” I’ve always missed it.

In my Uthmost for His Highest Chambers says, “God did not direct His call to Isaiah— Isaiah overheard God saying, “. . . who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude.”

God is a gentleman. He doesn’t call one with force, pleading, or manipulation. The call is for everyone, though few can hear it, and even fewer choose to respond to it.

As I ponder how and when God will have me go to Nicaragua this year my prayer is that I would quiet myself enough to listen to His call. My prayer is that I would not expect God to stop and say “Now, you go...” but would rather allow Him to mold my heart’s sensitivity into a servant who longs to serve wherever the needs are presented.

If you are seeking direction into which ministry opportunities to dive into in 2013 may I suggest the following thought?  Focus on maintaining a clean communication line between you and God (confess and ask forgiveness regularly) and then wait. Closely watch where there are needs around you and consider it’s quite possible that in those areas God is simply waiting for you to respond to the call of “who” with an eager, 

“Here am I! Send me!”

1. Make A Move by Royal Tailor

If there’s a song that encourages one to get out of their seat and make a move for the kingdom, Royal Tailor’s “Make a Move” is the faithful anthem.

“Mr. Good Intentions, so much I wanna do. My mouth just keeps on running, but I never follow through. I heard that true religion, is love with hands and feet I wanna find my own way to reach a world in need.”

So often our intentions are pleasant and we desire to serve, yet we just don’t seem to find that serving opportunity that “fits” or “feels right.” That’s why there’s so much power in the line, “I wanna find my own way to reach a world in need.” We are all gifted and God calls us to use those gifts to serve. We are called to serve in unique, purposeful ways. We must not conform to the patterns of the world, but become innovative in how we serve our savior.

2. Feel it in Your Heart by Abandoned

This undeniably catchy tune, will have its lyrics tugging on your heart strings.

“Oh, you can turn it up loud as loud as it will go, but it will never make its way to your soul. No no, until you feel it in your heart.”  

Have you ever felt like you have said all the right things? Perhaps, sometimes you even follow through after saying or committing with your words. When you’re finished with that act, you simply did it just to do it and honor your words. There was no intention to honor God. You just felt it was right, so you did it. This next lyric can ask the question for me:

“You can say, say all the right things, but in the end what does it mean?”

So, what does it mean? You served. Yes, yes you did. However, you weren’t serving with the intention to honor and glorify God and that may have very well been displayed while you were doing that work...moaning, grunting, rolling your eyes. Maybe you even went as far as to keep that smile on your face, but you felt empty, didn’t you? I know that’s how I feel when I serve without a purpose. Let me share something with you. Even though the people you interact with every day may not see the true unhappiness in that act of service, God does. God knows not only when you’re wearing an insincere smile, but when your heart is not in it.

So, here’s my challenge to you: Feel it in your heart. Play this song as loud as you can if you have to. Pray to acquire the humble heart of a servant.

3. Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is Meaningless! by Sleep for Sleepers

This song directly correlates with Ecclesiastes 1:The words of the Teacher,son of David, king in Jerusalem: “Meaningless! Meaningless!”says the Teacher.“Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

This truly is questioning the meaning of life. Once everything is said and done, all material things are no longer here, what do we have? What do we find worth in? What has everlasting value? The answer, our relationship with God. So, we should be living to serve and honor his commandments.

“I wanna breathe with more than my lungs, and I want your word on the tip of my tongue and mind. Everything you want me to be. I'll follow, with eyes close, I'll follow, as far as you go, I'll follow you.”

These inspiring words of wisdom challenge listeners to be all in for God. We must give ourselves to Christ to fulfill His magnificent plans for us. We must follow Him with our eyes close and our hearts open. We must serve as the Lord would serve.

4. Hold Strong, Have Faith by Rival Summers

Hold Strong, Have Faith is a tune that expresses the journey of an individual that is chasing after the visions God has put on their heart. The song takes us through tests and trials that we, as people, face daily. Trials such as doubt, hopelessness, and fear are expressed. These are all things that we can relate to. The significance of this song is the turn it takes as we begin to apprehend confidence, hope, and assurance in the Lord.

“ If I hold strong to my faith, then God will lead the way. If I put my trust in, I don’t need to be afraid.”

God has a plan and purpose for your life. He will provide for you. Please, take note of this, If your life, not just one area of your life, but your entire life, is your ministry and you live out every moment to serve and honor God, He will reveal a purpose driven life to you. You just have to Hold Strong, Have Faith.

5. Miracle by Mike Mains and the Branches

Mike Mains and the Branches consistently leaves a listener in awe of their honest lyrics and never fails to challenge people to grow spiritually.

“I didn't die for you to live like this. I didn't die for you to live like this. I didn't die for you to live like this. Oh, I died for you to love! Don't we know that we were made miracles?”

This provides a clear image of God looking down on us when we are living for self rather than living to serve His kingdom. Picturing God’s heart breaking as we live in our selfish ways continually turning away from His will. He is shouting down to us, fighting for our lives, and it is a spiritual awakening.

6. I Try by P.H.I.L.T.H.Y

I Try is an anthem of ambition and encouragement. This song sends the message of Philippians 4;13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

P.H.I.L.T.H.Y. leads us into our mission fields with confidence, complete security, and full reliance on God. With lyrics stating, “they say that we won’t make it, but I say mark my words” and “the first thing they try to do is make you second guess, that’s when you remember the the standards you represent” you are equipped to fly, reach for the sky, and at the very least, just try.

We’ve all heard it before, “Too much of anything is unhealthy.” However, when it comes to serving, can you serve too much? Well, we are Christians, right? We aim to be Christ like. It only seems right that we serve with all our hearts as much as possible. Let’s focus in on these key words: Christ like. Not Christ. He is all knowing, all powerful, and all loving.

 
Mark 10:44-45 “And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

That’s why we love Him so much. He has the capacity to love and serve unlike any of us will ever be able to. We can model our lives after His. We can be lights in the darkness. We can be that city on the hill, but if we try to be Christ, we will slowly see our lights dim. God has a plan and purpose for my life and yours.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you…”

He created us each uniquely and with a purpose. He has equipped us with certain skill sets and gifts. I’ve heard people say, “We are all created equal.” However, I see a flaw in this phrase. I do believe we are all equally valued. However, we were not created equally. What I mean by this is that God has given you gifts and talents that are different from your best friend, sibling, co-worker, etc. God loves and values us all equally for the unique beings that we are. With that being said, we need to identify our strengths and put them into action to serve with a purpose.

1 Peter 4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.”

My advice to my fellow servahaulics is to identify your gifts and find a way to use them to bring a smile to God’s face. Saying yes to every serving opportunity puts you in a position of giving everything 20% with low impact, rather than serving with your gifts at 100% impact. Ask yourself, “Am I serving to serve or serving with my talents to advance the kingdom?”

I’ve always had a heart to serve others. I’m the type of person who is drawn towards people who are going through obstacles in life and I want to do everything in my power to help them out. However, going out of my comfort zone - meaning getting too close to someone I didn’t know, was a no. I could volunteer at church without second-guessing it, or donate clothes for clothes drive easy. Sitting down and getting to know a stranger, which was something I would never do.

This all changed in October of this year. I was doing research for class when I came across the Big Brother, Big Sister (BBBS) website. I read through the mentoring programs they have and what it means to be a Big. A sudden heaviness overcame me along with the urge to volunteer. I told myself, no, while closing out of the site. Not even five minutes later I was back to the BBBS website filling out the application. I remember calling my friend and telling her I was going to volunteer…she laughed at me. Literally laughed. Her response was that I am far too busy to add anything else to the schedule. My reply, God laid this on my heart at this moment in time, I’m not sure where I will find the time, but I know I can spend at least 10 hours a month mentoring someone. She got quiet and we got off the phone. The following week I heard from an employee at BBBS, named Yvonne. She immediately wanted to set up an interview and within a couple weeks I was in her office answering questions about my past, present, and future. Talk about intimidating. My background check came back clear and I was in the process of being matched!

I met Diamond a couple weeks ago. She is 12 years old, in 6th grade, and has an amazing heart. Diamond has experienced things at such a young age, that I hope to never experience in my life. I have formed a bond with not only her, but also her older sister who takes care of her. They welcomed me into their family immediately. My automatic reaction is to want to spoil Diamond. However, I know reaching her through the gift of serving is going to give her a far greater reward.

I went 100% out of my comfort zone when signing up for BBBS. Maybe you’re okay when it comes to strangers, perhaps you say no every time you’re asked to go on a mission’s trip. I challenge all of you to say ‘yes’ just one time. I guarantee God is going to bless you while receiving the glory of whatever He has called you to do. Going out of my comfort zone was the best thing I did that October day. I gained a little sister, a summer internship with BBBS (again, totally God) and a chance to minister to a complete stranger. We are called to make disciples of all nations. Get out and go!